Elevator-indicator.



F. A. BOEDTGHER.

ELEVATOR INDIGATOR.

APPLICATION IILED JAILB, 1913. 1 ,089, 3 1 Q, Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

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INVENTOH Franz A. Boed'l'chem WITNESSES Q, nfiolmfrs coLuMni AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA c.

-F. A. BOEDTGHBR.

ELEVATOR INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILEDJAN. 6, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

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INVENTOR Franz AEoecHcher WITNESSES ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PL4NDGRAPN c0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

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FRANZ A. BOEDTCl-IER, OF BERGENFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

ELEVATOR-INDICATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANZ A. Bonn'ronnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bergeniield, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Elevator-Indicator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in elevator indicators, and has for an object to provide an improved structure adapted to automatically operate for indicating not only the floor at which the elevator may be positioned and the progress of the elevator from one floor to the other, but to indicate the direction of travel of the elevator regardless of Whether or not the same is moving or stationary, so that a person looking at the indicator may observe whether the particular elevator is making an up trip or a down trip.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved structure having a pair of signs displaying the words Up and Down or similar information, and various mechanism in connection therewith operated by the usual indicating hand of an indicator, whereby the signs are brought to a predetermined position as the car to which the device is attached moves up and down.

In carrying out the objects of the invention, an indicating mechanism is provided which includes a face and a rotating hand or pointer designed to move over the face for indicating the floor at which the elevator may be positioned. An operating shaft is connected with the hand or indicating member for properly moving the same, and which in turn is connected with an elevator in any usual or preferred manner. Associated with the hand or indicator and the operating shaft therefor, is a sign designed to rock so that the opposite ends or opposite sides may be brought to a particular point so as to disclose legends placed thereon, namely, the words Up and Down, or any other desired information. In one form of the invent-ion a pin extends from the hand or indicatin pointer so as to strike or engage the tiltably mounted sign for shifting the position thereof, While in another form of the invention a tiltable sign is provided with pins designed to project into the path of movement of the pointer so that when the pointer is moved to a certain position the tiltable sign is operated. In

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 6, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 740,476.

either of the forms of the invention the same idea is present, namely, a sign with the words Up and Down arranged thereon, or similar words, and mechanism for causing the up sign to be brought into view when the elevator starts upwandly, and to be maintained in that position until the next movement of the elevator should be a downward movement, whereupon the down sign is brought to view and maintained in that position. By this construction and arrangement, not only the floor at which the elevator is positioned may be seen upon the indicator face, but also the direction in which the elevator is traveling or is about to travel, in case the elevator is standing still.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi cate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front view of an indicator embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the operating mechanism, the indieating hand or finger, and face plate being removed; F 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, part of the face plate being broken away; Fig. at is a section through Fig. 1 on the line 4- l; Fig. 5 is a section through Fig. 1 on the line 5o; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of an indicator embodying a slightly modified form of the invention to that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section through Fig. 6 on the line 7"? Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing means for yieldingly holding the signal plate in a predetermined position; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7, except that the same shows a slightly modified form of the invention to that disclosed in Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the face of an indi cator of any desired kind. The mechanism 2 of the indicator may be of any desired kind, that shown being similar to my Patent No. 1,037,113. This mechanism is intended to cause a central shaft 3 to rotate as the elevator moves up and down in the usual manner. As the elevator moves up and down, the indicating hand or finger 41- moves over the dial 5 of the face plate 1 for indicating the progress of the elevator. If the elevator was standing still in any particular instance it would be impossible to ascertain Whether or not the same was going up or down by merely looking at the hand or indicating linger, so additional mechanism is provided for presenting a signal to indicate the direct-ion of travel of the elevator. This indicating mechanism is shown more clearly in Fig. 2, wherein 6 indicates an oscillating or tiltable sign havin a legend 7 arranged at one end, and a legend 8 arranged at the other end, these legends being of any desired kind, as for instance, the words Up and Down. In Fig. 1, the sign 6 has been tilted so that the elevator is shown as on its upward travel and as being stationed at floor 2. When the elevator reaches its extreme upward movement, namely floor 8, the sign will be operated so as to move the legend 8 (the sign Up to a position out of sight, and move legend Down to a position where the same may be seen, namely to a similar position on the opposite side of the shaft 3 to the legend Up. The sign 6 is mounted on shaft 24 so as to move therewith when such movement is not opposed, but to slip over when such movement is opposed, the connecting means being arranged in a suitable casing or housing 9, as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 8 a detail structure of this means is shown which is adapted to operate the sign 6 shown in Fig. 6 or to operate sign 10 shown in the modiiied structure disclosed in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive. From Fig. 8 it will be seen that shaft 3 is surrounded by a casing 9, which casing is frictionally pressed against. the shaft 8 by a block 11. The block 11 is held in place by a spring 12 maintained un der tension by a screw 13. By this means any desired pressure may be brought to bear on block 11 so as to cause the casing 9 to more or less tightly engage or clamp the shaft 3, The casing 9 is provided with an extension 14E which is designed to engage a suitable notch 15 in the sign 10, shown in Fig. 6 and engage a suitable notch 16 in the sign 6, shown in Fig. 2. A depending weight 17 assists in causing a proper movement of the sign 6. In addition to these means for operating the sign 6, a pin 18 is connected with the hand or finger 4t, and extends a suiticient distance from the hand or finger 4. to strike against the ends or the sign 6 so as to positively move the sign from one position to the other. In Fig. 1, for instance, when the hand or finger 4 begins to move past floor 7, the same will begin to force the end of sign 6 containing the legend Up in a downward direction until the car stops at floor 8, whereupon the sign Up will be entirely out of sight, and the sign Down will be brought to view on the opposite side of shaft 3. This will of course indicate to any one on any of the floors that the next movement of the car will be the beginning of the downward travel. lVhen the car reaches the bottom of its downward travel the pin 18 will strike the end of sign 6 containing the legend Down and force that end downwardly out of view and consequently will cause the legend Up to appear on the opposite side of the shaft 3. However, if the elevator should move up wardly to the second floor, as shown in Fig. 1, then start to move down, the pin 18 could not operate upon the end of the sign 6 containing the legend Up, but the housing 9 and extension is and associated parts would be moved by shaft 8 so as to move the legend Down to its elevated position and move the legend Up to the position out of sight so as to indicate that the elevator was traveling in a downward direction.

In Figs. 5 t0 7, will be seen a slightly modified form of the invention in which the ace 19 is closed with the exception of slots 20 and 21, and opening 22. Pivotally mounted on the rear of face 19 is a sign 10 j ournaled on a suitable bolt or journal member 23 in a similar manner to the way sign 6 is journaled on member 2a in Fig. 2, the member at being supported by any desired kind of bracket or other support. The upper end of sign 10 is provided with the legends Up and Down which are adapted to be brought opposite the apertures 22 so as to indicate the direction of travel or the elevator when moving or stand ing still. The lower part of the sign 10 is provided with a notch 15 in which the extension l l fits, as shown in Fig. 8, so as to cause the proper operation of the sign in case the elevator should be reversed intermediate its travel, namely at any of the floors except the first and last. Pins 25 and 26 are rigidly secured to the lower part or" the sign 10 and extend through slots 20 and 21 respectively, so as to be in the path of movement of the indicator or finger 27. The indicator or indicating finger 27 is designed to operate in similar manner to iinger a and to engage and move pins 25 and 26 and the sign connected therewith to form the completion of the travel of the elevator. It the pins 25 and were not used the elevator could reach the top tloor and remain stationary and the signs remain unchanged. By the use of the pins 25 and 26 the sign will be automatically changed as the ele vator reaches the top floor.

Where it is desired to use the sign 10 as shown in Fig. 6, and it is not desirable to have slots 20 and 21 arranged in the face plate 15, a second indicator or finger 28 (Fig. 9) is rigidly secured to shaft 3, this indicating finger being arranged directly in back of the indicating finger 27 and intended to engage pins 25 and 26 which are sufficiently shortened as not to engage the face plate 19. This will have exactly the same efiect as the structure shown in Fig. 6, without the use of the slots 20 and 21.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rock shaft, of a pivotally mounted sign member having a legend arranged on each end, a screen normally concealing both legends, means connected with said shaft and engaging said sign member for rocking the sign member and thereby causing one of said legends to be brought to view upon each reversal of said shaft, and a weight connected to said sign member for giving the same a tendency to remain in a neutral position.

2. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with an indicating hand, a rotating shaft for operating said hand, of a sign member formed with a legend on each end, means frictionally engaging said shaft and operatively engaging said sign member for causing said sign member to be tilted from one position to the other upon each reversal of movement of said shaft for indicating the direction of travel of the elevator to which the indicator is connected.

3. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rotating shaft and an indicating finger, of a tiltable sign formed with legends on opposite portions thereof, a pin connected with said sign adapted to be engaged by said finger for causing the finger to move said sign so as to move the legends from one position to another, and an auxiliary means frictionally connected with said shaft and engaging said sign for shifting the position of said sign whenever said shaft reverses its movement.

4. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rocking shaft and an indicating finger of a tiltable sign formed with legends on opposite portions thereof, pins projecting from said sign, an auxiliary hand connected with said rocking shaft adapted to engage the pin on said sign and move said sign upon the extreme movement of said shaft in either direction, and auxiliary means frictionally connected with said shaft and engaging said sign for shifting the position of said sign whenever said shaft reverses its movement.

5. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rotating shaft and an indicating finger, of a tiltable sign formed with legends on opposite portions thereof, means for causing said indicating finger to move said sign so as to change the legend, and auxiliary means connected with said shaft and engaging said sign for shifting the position of said sign whenever said shaft reverses its movement.

6. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rotating shaft, of a tiltable sign provided with legends on opposite parts thereof, and means engaging said tiltable sign for causing the respective legends thereon to be brought to view upon each reversing of movement of said shaft, said means comprising a housing frictionally engaging said shaft, a yielding friction member for clamping said housing to said shaft, and an extension engaging said sign.

7. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rotatable shaft, of a tiltable sign provided with legends on opposite parts thereof, and means engaging said shaft and said sign for operating said sign, said means comprising a housing, an exten sion for engaging and shifting the position of said sign, a friction block arranged in said housing and engaging said shaft, a spring pressing against said friction block, and means for regulating the tension of said spring whereby upon each reversal of movement of said shaft said extension will be moved for shifting the position of said sign while the continued movement of said shaft in the same direction will cause said sign to remain in the position in which it has been placed.

8. In an indicator of the class described, the combination with a rotatable shaft and an indicating finger, of a pin operated by said rotatable shaft, a tiltable sign moved by said pin, said sign being positioned so as to be operated by said pin upon the extreme movement of said finger, and means engaging said shaft and said sign for changing the position of said sign upon the reversal of movement of said shaft while said finger is intermediate its extreme positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ A. BOEDTGHER.

Witnesses:

A. L. KrroHIN, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latentl. Washington, D. 0." 

